Jersey Social: A Jersey City Bar Focused on Mixology

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Think Jersey City has enough places to grab some cocktails? Think again. Jersey Social is the latest bar and restaurant to come to the area, most recently making its home at 837 Jersey Avenue in Jersey City.

Oh, and did we mention they’re bringing a Michelin star credit, a renowned mixologist, and a team of expert cocktail-makers along with them?

RB Hospitality are the New York-based masterminds behind a string of successful restaurants. That list includes Junoon, the only Indian restaurant in Manhattan to earn the designation of a Michelin star, which is one of the highest honors a food establishment may receive. RB Hospitality is pitching Jersey Social as an “elevated cocktail bar,” citing that patrons should expect an intimate, one-of-a-kind experience.

“There’s nothing like this in the immediate area,” RB Hospitality owner Rajesh Bhardwaj said to Jersey Digs in an interview. “Both Newport and Southwest Hoboken lack a higher-end type of bar experience, so we’re looking to serve Manhattan-level quality cocktails with more reasonable prices.”

A Michelin star isn’t all Jersey Social is bringing to the table {or the bar, we should say}. Jersey Social will also welcome renowned mixologist Hemant Pathak behind the bar. Pathak is the mixologist and bar manager of Junoon, known for his innovative signature of integrating spices his cocktail-making. Under his leadership, Junoon also received aBest Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator for the first five consecutive years after opening. Pathak has been featured in GQ, Elle, Playboy, Thrillist, Forbes, and more.

And Pathak isn’t the only celebrity name that Jersey Social has going for it. Chef Adin Langille, the former Executive Chef at fabrick by David Burke, will be spearheading the Jersey Social kitchen. Like Pathak, Langille also worked at Junoon before making the movie to Jersey Social.

Of food sculpting and plate designing, Langille has said, “My mom is an artist, so I come from an artistic family — and I have an artistic background. I look for depth of field, colors, and composition. The cool thing about food is that it also has to have functionality. It can’t just look great — it has to eat well.”

“The components have to taste well with each other,” Langille continued. “You can’t just put something on there for the visual aspect if it doesn’t make sense with the rest of the dish. So, it is kind of like sculpture — but it’s on another level.”

The menu is sure to have something that pleases everyone. Even vegetarians have their choice of plant-based options: General Tso’s Cauliflower and falafel bites for small plates, and mushroom fusili for large plates. And meat-eaters shouldn’t fret. You’ll have your choice of options, too: from grilled octopus to a double stack burger, there’s something for all.

Speaking of the menu, that brings us back to libations! The drink menu features six signature cocktails, eight classic cocktails {which include Manhattans, martinis, Rye Old Fashions, and more}, and two non-alcoholic cocktails, Jersey City Lemonade and Morning Glory.

Now that Jersey Social officially grand-opened on February 1, and there are many exciting plans and events in the works. Sunday brunch is expected to launch sometime mid-February and the owners also have plans to start light jazz and live band night at some point after they find their stride. Jersey Social currently serves from 5PM to 11PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday. It closes at 1AM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Interested in checking out the new Jersey Social scene? Visit the website to make a reservation!

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Steph Osmanski is a freelance blogger and brand consultant who specializes in health and wellness content. Her words have appeared on Life & Style, In Touch, Seventeen, Parents, and more. She is pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Stony Brook Southampton.